Abc Of Effective Writing 2

ABC Of Effective writing

ABC of Effective Writing Need for Effective Writing Skills Diagnostic Test Mechanics of Writing Identifying good Writing What makes Writing Effective?

A C C U R A C y

Reader Specific Format Language Order Register Information

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ABC Of Effective writing

B R E V I T Y C L A R I T Y

Specific Tautology Eliminate Obvious facts Precise Vocabulary Structure Simple Presentation Action packed

PLUS COURTESY POSITIVE ATTITUDE YOU ATTITUDE MOST COMMON ERRORS

Ten Tips for Writing Well….

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ABC Of Effective writing

Session: 1. Introduction, Diagnostic test 2. Mechanics of Writing 3. Accuracy 4. Brevity 5. Clarity 6. Common Errors 7. Writing Memo 8 Writing Letter

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ABC Of Effective writing Accuracy

Accuracy…

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ABC Of Effective writing Accuracy

CHECKLIST Before signing any communication, ask yourself the following questions: Will it be understood? Is the tone appropriate? Is the language appropriate? Have I avoided long-winded phrases and old-fashioned terminology? Are all the essential details included and accurate? Is it brief, clear and courteous? Are all the spellings correct? Is it grammatically correct? Is it properly punctuated? Is it structured logically? Does it look attractive, well-displayed and consistent?

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ABC Of Effective writing

Good Writing is Using Appropriate Format…

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ABC Of Effective writing

Letter Writing 2nd Nov 03. To The Traffic Controller Thane (W) Sub: Suggested measures to improve the civic conditions in The City Dear Sir, As the Chairman of the Citizens Welfare Association, I wish to put forth some of my suggestions to improve the civic conditions in our city. Thane is developing very rapidly so also the problems as it by product. Primarily there is a major bottleneck at the Jambli Market Junction where invariably the signal does not work. Hence at peak, hours reaching the station on time is almost impossible. Most auto rickshaws are forced to follow the buses as the buses block most of the road. Being a cross-road with no signal on there are buses entering the junction from the left side because of which the entire traffic control is in chaos. Could we not have this signal in order? and also a traffic Policeman to help at this point. The fly-over which is being built just at the beginning of Ghodbunder Road makes it very difficult for residents of Vasant Vihar. There is so much of heavy vehicular traffic within Vasant Vihar, due to the diversion of traffic from the highway into our society. Can you not divert this traffic partly into Brindavan Society too so that the menace would be reduced? Another problem we are facing is that of hawkers crowding just outside the station. This makes it very difficult for the commuters to reach the platforms on time. The hawkers could be moved to the B-Cabin section to avoid the confusion. On behalf of the Citizens’s welfare Association I have made an earnest attempt to state remedial measures to tackle all the problems we are facing. We would be grateful if you could look into the matter at the earliest to help us make our Thane “Clean and Beautiful”. Thank You Yours faithfully,

Sign Name :

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ABC Of Effective writing 1st Dec. 2003 To Regional Transport Officer Mumbai Zone - III Andheri (East), Mumbai 01. Sub: Complaint about the Current Traffic near to our Society. Respected Sir/Madam, I ___________________________, Chairman of Citizen Welfare Society, Kurla (W) Mumbai stay in Bldg. No. B2/302 find that there are fatal accident occurs frequently on the square next to our society. We society person complaint to Police Authority about the Accident. But they have not taken any action. The Signal on the square is not working properly; they are like a show-piece standing over there. As per the Rule no Hawker allow in between 100 Mtrs of square. But all hawkers are there in the square. Due to that, the all commuter walks along the road. So that, there is very less free passage for vehicle to go. The flyover bridge work is going on the M.G. Road. So Traffic Police has been diverted the traffic from the square. There are so may heavy vehicle go through the square. My request is the behalf of the Society people and as a Chairman, looking into matter and take some action on it. Some Senior Member and Other Member have some suggestions, they are noted at the last end. Please you find any suitable suggestion, you go through it. We are also ready to help in this matter. So, we are looking forward for your help. Please do it as soon as possible.

Yours truly, Place : Mumbai Date : 2nd Dec. 2003. Suggestions : 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)

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ABC Of Effective writing

WHICH PICNIC WOULD YOU RATHER ATTEND? This one… TO:

All Employees

FROM:

Human Resources

RE:

The Company Picnic

This year our annual company picnic will take place on Friday, July 2nd. According to our new company policy, this year employees will be permitted to invite members of their immediate families to attend. As we have signed up for a park picnic area, it is imperative that we know the number of people who plan to attend. If you plan to do so, please sign the attached list and put the number of family members you plan to invite. Employees who have not signed up will not be permitted to attend. Thank you for your cooperation.

Or this one? TO:

All Employees

FROM:

Dinah Myte – Human Resources

RE:

OUR COMPANY PICNIC – FRIDAY, JULY 2!

We are all looking forward to our annual company picnic. This year, due to overwhelming demand, employees may invite family members. We have reserved a lovely picnic area, near the Marina in Riverside Park. So that we will be able to provide seating and food for all, we will need to know the number of people attending. If you plan to attend: •

Print your full name on this list.

•

Note the total number of people in your party.

•

Return this list to the receptionist

SEE YOU AT THE PICNIC!

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ABC Of Effective writing

FORMAT OF A LETTER

Salutation

Dear Christopher

Heading

FULLY BLOCKED LETTER LAYOUT

(to give instant

This layout has become firmly established as the most popular way of sending out letters, fax messages, memos, reports – In fact all business communications. The main feature of fully blocked style is that all lines begin at the left-hand margin. Open punctuation is usually used with the fully-blocked layout. This means that no punctuation marks are necessary in the reference, date, inside address, salutation and closing section. Of course essential punctuation must still be used in the text of the message itself. However, remember to use commas minimally today; they should only be used when their omission would make the sense of the message unclear. Consistency is important in layout and spacing of all documents. It is usual to leave just one clear line space between each section. Most people agree that this layout is very attractive, easy to produce as well as businesslike.

idea of the theme) Body of Letter (one line space between paragraph)

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ABC Of Effective writing •

You are the secretary in a company which makes plastic tableware. Your boss has left the letter below for you to answer.

•

Write a letter of 100 – 120 words to Ms Jerome, explaining the reason for the damaged goods. Use the information in her letter and the notes from your boss.

•

Do not include addresses.

Chris: Please write back to Ms Jerome with regrets, etc. We mustn’t lose this customer! Thanks – Hugh.

QUALITY CAFETERIAS INC. NEW ROAD MELEBOURNE 6 October 1997

The Manager Plastic-A-Plenty Co. Gough Industrial Estate Melbourne Dear Sir or Madam 5 years to be exact. PLASTIC TABLEWARE – Product nos. 0821 (forks) and 7234 (bowls) We have used your company as a supplier to our restaurants for several years, and until recently the quality of your products has always been good. However, on 2 September this year, we took delivery of some plastic tableware which was of extremely poor quality. Many of the bowls were chipped and several of the forks were broken. We cannot use them in our cafeterias. We will replace them free of charge. I do hope that such a delivery will not be repeated, and that your supplies to us in the future will again be of high quality. If, however, we receive any further faulty plastic tableware from you, we will be obliged to find another supplier to provide us with goods which meet our own high standards. I am sure you will be able to provide us with a satisfactory explanation. Yours faithfully

So do I! It was the faulty packing machine (now repaired).

Ann Jerome A Jerome Restaurants Director

Tell her it won’t happen again – she’s an excellent customer, so please offer our apologies!

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ABC Of Effective writing

Getting it down on paper

Vocabulary

Add the missing words to the puzzle. 1.

Put the name of the….. at the top of the

15

memo.

1

When it is finished send or ….. the report to

2

the person who asks for it.

3

3.

When you take a message try to keep it…

4

4.

A top manager is an ….. of the company.

5

5.

Only …… the main points of a message.

6

6.

First …… or put in a particular order the

2.

things you want to say, before you start. 7.

Make a first …… of anything you write and then correct it.

8.

……. should only contain one main idea.

9.

The ….. is a punctuation mark with two dots.

r

e

c

i

p

i

e

n

t

7 8

9 10 11 12 13

10. Remember to …… your spelling before you

14

type the report. 11. The punctuation mark that looks like a ‘flying comma’ is called the……….. 12. When you report facts make sure you are……….. 13. A letter used inside a firm is called a ………. 14. ………. is another word for full stop. 15. A ……… is something that gets sent around to many people.

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ABC Of Effective writing Memo

DEALING WITH A REPORT A.

The paragraphs of Anita Fuchsberger’s report got mixed up on the word processor as they were not numbered. Number the correct order you think they should be in.

MEMO From: Anita Fuchsberger To:

Felicitas Zapp

Quarterly Report on Office Furniture The first point to stress is that following the acquisition of the Relaxo

Group

Internationals,

and the

J.

s.

renamed

Moretti

S.p.A.

division,

last

experienced

year, a

Relaxo year

of

consolidation and profit growth this year. Relaxo Systems Furniture in the UK continued its profitable growth pattern. In marketing terms, the major events includes extensions to the System M100 screen based furniture range which is proving such a popular product with major British companies. New storage products were also introduced in October. Alhambra, a Spanish desking range, was launched in the UK for the front office furniture market. It was well received and projected sales for next year are encouraging. Muebles Relax de Espana showed real profit improvement following the factory

investments

which

have

led

to

more

cost-effective

manufacture. The order book increased significantly during the year, despite the lack of any real introduction of new desking and storage products, aided by key changes to the sales management structure.

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ABC Of Effective writing I must apologize for the late submission of my report, but the delay was partly connected with my visit to our Spanish subsidiary in San Sebastian. I had to step in at the last moment for the Sales Manager, who unfortunately suffered a car accident. Overall, the past year has been a favourable one for the Relaxo Group in all three European regions. This has been the case despite the variable conditions from country to country. The prospects for the coming years look favourable on the whole, and only the situation in the USA may give some cause for concern. At the same time marketing activity was strengthened by the opening of new showroom for Relaxo at the new International Design Centre in New York City and for Moretti S.p.A. in the office and factory complex just outside Milan. We also had good production results to show in our three major European regions: the Iberian Peninsula, Northern Europe and the British Isles. Here are the results of my analysis of the international performance of

Relaxo

International

together

with

some

predictions

for

the

development of the business furniture market. The Relaxo companies in Europe traded exceptionally well during the year,

and

new

products

were

introduced

to

extend

the

System

99

executive seating range. The market conditions in Germany and Holland were very favourable and Relaxo looks able to take further advantage of this with systems furniture to be launched in these countries in the next couple of years. The Swiss company continues to develop its own markets and last year significantly increased its activity in southern Europe. However, market conditions in the USA were not so favourable for Relaxo Incorporated, but the opening of the showroom in New York should indicate a return to growth in the USA in coming years.

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ABC Of Effective writing

B. Read the report and decide which of the statements are true or false: 1. Anita Fuchsberger wishes she had not had to take the place of the Sales Manager in San Sebatian. 2. Anita Fuchsberger reports on the development of the business furniture market in the past few years. 3. The newly restructured company had a good year. 4. Production facilities were improved in America and Italy. 5. There were more orders in Spain during the year. 6. The success of the Spanish subsidiary was connected to the change in the business climate. 7. European trade developments helped Relaxo companies to expand the number of new products they were able to sell. 8. Anita Fuchsberger is not sure whether it will be an advantage to introduce new products in the next few years. 9. Relaxo Incorporated are likely to do less well in the USA in the future than they have this year. 10. The most important market development for the UK-based company was the introduction of the Alhambra desking range.

MEMO You are taking your annual holiday at the beginning of next month and you will be out of the office for three weeks Write a memo of 30-40 words to your Secretary, telling him / her: ➲ When you are going on holiday and for how long. ➲ What should happen to your mail ➲ What he / she should do in case of an emergency. L&T Infotech Confidential

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ABC Of Effective writing

Good Writing is Using Accurate Language… L&T Infotech Confidential

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ABC Of Effective writing

SPELL CZECH Eye have a spelling cheque. It came with my pia sea. It plainly marques four my revue miss steaks eye kin knot sea. Eye strike a key and type a word and weight four it two say weather eye am wrong oar write. It shows me strait a weigh. As soon as a mist ache is maid, it nose bee fore two long And eye can put the error rite. Its rarely ever wrong. Eye have run this poem threw it, I am shore your pleased two no. Its letter perfect in its weigh. My chequer tolled me sent. Saurce Unknown

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ABC Of Effective writing Ms J Lewis Slimtone plc, 13 Broad Walk Birmingham BR5 6BY UK

2-28-1999, Chemikraz Ltd ul. Krakowa 48 60700 Poznan Poland

Dear Ms Jean Lewis! I am writing thanking you for your letter which has arrived recently. I am such pleased that you can visiting us next month. We looking forward to the welcome of you! In here are some information’s about our country and yours accommodations. Despite it is spring, almost, weather here is being still quiet cold so please bring the warm cloths with you. I will defiantly recommend a hat also and heavy coat too. When you visit our company, please to call at reception firstly, asking for myself. Then you would be take up to my office. You will be stay at local hotel named Hotel Orit. Address of hotel is Zwycestwa street number 56 and number of telephone is +48-61-95-95483. Hotel Orit is small but friendly with restaurant and room service. You will eat there your breakfasts but I will invite you for lunch’s and dinners in others places. If you are having any questions, please inform immediately. For contact: +48-61-46289 extension 209. With all good greetings. Yours sincerely, Manager of Human Resources L&T Infotech Confidential

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ABC Of Effective writing Mrs. P. Sztuk

ENGLISH @ THE SPEED OF THOUGHT POEM Complete the following poem using the verbs on the right. Use the rhyme to help you. Is your office anything like this? First, there’s a report to …………………….. Then I’ll ………………………. those figures through. Flight details.

check get do

…………………… e-mails.

fax

Don’t worry, I’ll ……………………….. back to you. A memo now to ……………………………

update

Nasty jobs to ………………………………

circulate

Travel miles.

running

……………………………… files.

delegate

Can’t stop now! I’m …………………………… late. ………………………….. my calls till half past ten.

cleared

Should have ………………………. my desk by then.

grab

……………………….. a copy.

hold

………………………... a coffee.

cancel

………………………... English class again!

print

Messages to ………………………. to.

meet

One moment, please, I’ll ……………………………you through.

arrange

……………………….at three.

listen

………………………PCI.

put

……………………….another interview.

crash

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ABC Of Effective writing

………………………..up clients at the station.

give

………………………..a formal presentation.

make

………………………..a list.

break

Of deadlines…………………………

missed

……………………off the negotiation!

pick

…………………..suppliers in Milan –

postpone

…………………..an appointment if you…………………………

get

…………………..that phone!

contact

Must……………………..

fix

The teleconference with Japan.

can

…………………work at half past eight.

phone

Must…………………….home – I may be late.

hit

………………………the car.

celebrate

………………………the bar.

finish

Damn it – why not……………………?

leave

So, you…………………………..the presentation!

draft

…………………….up the negotiation!

hand

……………………..better?

screwed

…………………….letter.

blew

Now…………………………in your resignation!

feeling

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